A Tale About Heritages
by Ribeiro1986
Summary: Following the events from the episode 'The Heritage, John Walton have a deep conversation with his children, that can change the family s life forever


**Good afternoon! **

**The story bellow its more like a deleted scene from the episode The Heritage (2x17) and its don´t belongs to any AU or storyline from my account.**

**We hope you like it,**

**Please, enjoy.**

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**A TALE ABOUT HERITAGES**

The next day when the family all awoke and went downstairs for breakfast, there was a definite change in the air as opposed to just the day before. Everyone seemed in a better mood, particularly John-Boy, Grandpa, and Olivia.

Before the children headed off to do the chores that day, John asked them to stay for another moment.

"Jim-Bob, Elizabeth, come here," John said. He pulled his two youngest over to him and looked at them. "Now, I want you both to be perfectly honest with me, you understand?"

The little girl and boy nodded. "Yes, Daddy," the both replied.

"Alright, do you two want to leave the mountain or the house?"

Elizabeth and Jim-Bob exchanged a quick look, then looked back at John.

"No, Daddy!" Elizabeth said.

"I want to stay too, Daddy!" Jim-Bob said. "I don't want to leave Blue!"

The surrounding family laughed.

"Alright, then!" John said, a wide smile playing across his face. "We're not moving then!" Everyone cheered.

"Later when Mr. Harmon comes by, I want you all here and we'll tell him together."

"That we're not selling?" Mary Ellen asked excitedly.

"That we're not selling!" John confirmed, pulling Elizabeth onto his lap.

John-Boy caught Jason's eye, and remembering their time at the cave just two days before, smiled at him.

_/_

Later that day when Charlie Harmon did indeed visit, the children ran in from outside or downstairs from their rooms and everyone gathered in the living room.

"Well?" Mr. Harmon said expectedly. "Have you decided?" He had already pulled out an envelope, which assumedly had a check enclosed within it.

"Yes, we have," John said. "Elizabeth?" he prompted his younger daughter.

Elizabeth jumped off her chair and faced Mr. Harmon. "We're staying right here where we belong," she said proudly. The children clapped for her and John stood up.

"We appreciate the offer. We really do," he said. "But this is our home. My wife's home and my children's home," he continued. "And we wouldn't leave it for anything."

Mr. Harmon was stunned. He hadn't at all expected a denial like this. "Well," he began hesitantly. "I – I must admit that I didn't at all expect this."

"We hope you understand," Olivia said. "It's just – this is where our children have grown up and where they'll continue to grow. And for our family, there's no place any better." The mother looked over at John-Boy and smiled. The eldest son smiled back.

Mr. Harmon gave a small laugh. "I am quite surprised," he said. "But I understand." He held his hand out to John who shook it.

He then shook hands with Olivia, Grandpa, and John-Boy. "I hope we meet again," he said, moving towards the door.

John followed him and opened it for him. "So do I, Mr. Harmon, so do I."

_/_

The rest of the day after Mr. Harmon's adventure was utterly enjoyable. John and Olivia took a walk up around Drucilla's Pond and the nearby woods, while Ben and Erin went for a ride on Blue. Jim-Bob and Elizabeth played all day until they were finally called in for supper, and Grandma and Grandpa made plans for the small gathering they would have on their upcoming wedding anniversary.

John-Boy and Jason wandered off on their own as well. John-Boy and Jason had always felt closest to one another as opposed to their other siblings, because of a few reasons. The first and obvious one was that they were close in age, John-Boy being older by only two years. Another was that, for their whole lives, they always bonded over their dreams. John-Boy's dream to be a writer had been with him ever since he was thirteen, just like Jason's dreams to become a musician, so they bonded over those dreams together, and they comforted one another when one got rejected or made a mistake.

That day, John-Boy and Jason returned to the cave they had met at the other day. John-Boy, with his pads and pencils, and Jason with his harmonica as well as his guitar. Together, inspired by the events of the last week they supposed, they worked. John-Boy writing whatever came to mind, occasionally stopping to listen to whatever Jason was playing, and Jason, scratching away at his own piece of paper, his guitar in hand.

That week's events changed the family, but in a good way. Sometimes, one of the children, or even John or Olivia, would wonder what their lives would've been like had they taken the money and sold their home, but never did one of them wish they had.


End file.
